Retreat

This weekend's retreat was rich in thought for me, and I admit that my mind is still churning as I have been back.

What did I experience this weekend?
Beauty. I was around so much beauty of humankind this weekend.

Love. The love flowing out of this community was absolutely phenomenal. It flowed out directly and indirectly and touched each and every person in attendance. If only we always had such love for others- I can say, non-jadely, that the world would be an entirely different place.

Hope. We traced where we have been, where our society is, where our college community currently is. And yet, there is a firm resolve of hope. These weekend was about those who don't give up in their struggles, and those who advocate for the struggling.

I was privy to the beauty of a tapestry of stories and struggles, tragedies and triumphs. My heart was broken at times for the innate brokenness, and the brokenness we have caused by others' hate and hurt. And ignorance, incorrectly handled. The rivers of pain run deep and ravage entire communities of beautiful, many-hued people, precious people made in God's own image.

I cannot ignore these things any more. I have looked people in the face, witnessed the tears streaming down their face, acknowledged the validity of their hurts. What am I supposed to say in response to what was before my eyes? Things become real, very quickly, when it is embodied by real people in your presence.

Jesus, I so desperately want to love people with the fullness of Your truth. Show me please, how to love and affirm the people you created, while not compromising the freedom of Your truth. I realize that this truth is often offensive, so please show me how to continue sharing that in all love.

LORD, I don't want to perpetuate the hate stemming from a fear of those different than me. That has never been okay, even for the sake of truth. Forgive me, Father, for the ways I have neglected to care for those who believe differently than me. There is no excuse for my cold shoulder. I want to internalize this love and engagement with those struggling and hurt communities on campus. Help me to be the change I desire to see for these precious people. Help me to understand that I am not the Savior, but instead to serve them while pointing them to the One Savior. I admit that I do not know how this will flesh out, or what personal losses I will take for doing so. But I want to engage; help me to see how.

There is great responsibility for one whose eyes have been opened to injustice, and it does not always come to us at convenient times or places. However, that is no excuse for not doing the right thing.